Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiang Mai and Kisvarda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $920 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,274 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Chiang Mai vs $1,944 in Kisvarda, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,895 per month in Chiang Mai vs $2,615 in Kisvarda, rent included.

Chiang Mai is about 28% cheaper than Kisvarda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiang Mai and Kisvarda are more affordable than the global median – Chiang Mai 33% lower, Kisvarda 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ฿69.1

$9.49 Ft 2,958

-77.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.75 ฿648

$50.9 Ft 15.9K

-61.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 ฿192

$10.13 Ft 3,159

-42.25%

Cappuccino

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.17 Ft 677

-18.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ฿24.37

$1.30 Ft 405

-43.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ฿10.90

$1.01 Ft 314

-67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 ฿81.0

$1.86 Ft 580

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ฿127

$2.38 Ft 741

63.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ฿62.4

$1.25 Ft 389

52.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ฿54.7

$1.52 Ft 475

9.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.24

$2.57 Ft 802

-47.47%

Eggs

$2.14 ฿70.2

$3.88 Ft 1,209

-44.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ฿521

$10.85 Ft 3,383

46.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ฿92.9

$7.32 Ft 2,282

-61.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ฿345

$16.33 Ft 5,092

-35.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ฿78.2

$2.08 Ft 649

14.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 ฿35.01

$2.28 Ft 710

-53.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ฿49.79

$2.19 Ft 683

-30.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿49.30

$3.58 Ft 1,117

-58.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 ฿41.96

$1.02 Ft 318

25.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ฿36.17

$1.32 Ft 411

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ฿22.54

$1.60 Ft 500

-56.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.18

$0.58 Ft 182

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$7.15 Ft 2,229

-40.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.78 ฿550

$4.34 Ft 1,353

286.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ฿54.4

$1.34 Ft 416

23.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ฿92.3

$2.28 Ft 710

23.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.44

$1.20 Ft 374

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,801

$25.38 Ft 7,913

116.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ฿39.24

$3.42 Ft 1,068

-64.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ฿17.78

$1.53 Ft 477

-64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ฿77.9

$12.94 Ft 4,034

-81.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.88

$1.89 Ft 589

-24.34%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.1K ฿691.5K

$33.3K Ft 10.4M

-36.62%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.1K ฿890.2K

$36.9K Ft 11.5M

-26.51%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$64.7 ฿2,124

$165 Ft 51.5K

-60.77%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.19 ฿433

$27.84 Ft 8,681

-52.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.44 ฿638

$21.89 Ft 6,825

-11.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 ฿1,294

$47.22 Ft 14.7K

-16.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.77 ฿124

$17.37 Ft 5,414

-78.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 ฿217

$9.95 Ft 3,101

-33.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$805 ฿26.4K

$417 Ft 130.0K

93.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K ฿496.1K

$11.1K Ft 3.4M

36.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 ฿1,796

$90.8 Ft 28.3K

-39.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 ฿834

$35.08 Ft 10.9K

-27.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 ฿3,015

$88.4 Ft 27.6K

3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.7 ฿2,449

$106 Ft 33.1K

-29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 ฿15.3K

$547 Ft 170.4K

-14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 ฿9,251

$385 Ft 120.0K

-26.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 ฿29.2K

$794 Ft 247.6K

12.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿17.1K

$630 Ft 196.4K

-17.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,985 ฿65.1K

$3,535 Ft 1.1M

-43.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,462 ฿48.0K

$2,702 Ft 842.5K

-45.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 ฿19.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.9

-19.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chiang Mai: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kisvarda: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $467 in Chiang Mai versus $547 in Kisvarda. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Chiang Mai versus $51.0 in Kisvarda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $261 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chiang Mai vs Kisvarda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisvarda costs about 38% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,380 per month in Chiang Mai and $1,911 in Kisvarda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $805 per month in Chiang Mai and $417 in Kisvarda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Kisvarda, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $920, than in Kisvarda at $1,274. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kisvarda it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $920 versus $1,274 in Kisvarda. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kisvarda makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.